THE LNP’s Jann Stuckey will hold back-to-back meetings with worried small business and tourism operators across the Whitsundays today (Thursday) and Friday.

Ms Stuckey, who is Shadow Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business, will meet with local councillors, business and community leaders in Proserpine, Airlie Beach and Cannonvale.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with local Councillors, Tourism Whitsundays representatives and business as well as community leaders,” Ms Stuckey said.

“The Whitsundays is a key centre for tourism, but it’s under stress and I’ll be listening to what needs to happen in terms of support from government to help the region get going again.

“Tourism is suffering and I’m told as many as 40 local businesses have been forced to close.

“No one is happy with the decision by the Whitsunday Regional Council to strip $100,000 from the region’s $250,000 tourism promotional budget – a decision that flies in the face of accepted wisdom that when things are down don’t cut promotion, especially promotion in the domestic market.

“I’ll be listening and inviting locals to participate in my survey to gauge the sorts of support measures the Whitsundays need.”

Ms Stuckey said one of the biggest threats to the region was the local Member and Minister who personally backed Canberra’s carbon tax which was about to hit Queensland tourism for six.

“Jan Jarratt has personally backed the carbon tax that is going to hit airlines, hit resorts and hit Whitsundays’ tourism operators,” she said.

“What a pity the Whitsundays aren’t represented by a local Member and a Minister prepared to fight Canberra’s job-destroying carbon tax – that will simply drive more and more would-be domestic tourists overseas to destinations that don’t have a carbon tax.”

Ms Stuckey said she looked forward to catching up with as many local tourism and business operators as possible over the next two days – either at the organised meetings or the tourism industry dinner tonight – 6:30pm Shingley on Waterline, Airlie Beach, or business brekky tomorrow (Friday) – 7am at The Grub Cafe, Proserpine.

“Only an LNP Government will work for all Queensland,” Mrs Stuckey said.